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COMPETITION IS “FUSED” FOR
DYNAMITE COOK-OFF IN WOONSOCKET, RI SEPTEMBER 15, 2007
Over four dozen
participants ready to show off their recipes and become “blasted” into history
as the Dynamite King or Queen
Saturday, September 15, will be
an “explosive” day inside Woonsocket’s River Island Park, located at Market
Square, as eager participants are “charging up” for victory at the
First
Blackstone Valley Dynamite Cook-Off Challenge.
This special event
is being held in conjunction with the 25th Annual French
Farmers Market & Woonsocket Art Festival, scheduled for Friday and
Saturday, September
14 - 15, 2007.
Presented by the
Blackstone Valley Tourism Council (BVTC), the contest will determine who makes
the city’s best Dynamites and how this unique sandwich became established in
Woonsocket and the Blackstone River Valley
Cook-off officials
note that the competition for the best dynamites has “blown up” much larger than
anticipated.
“We thought we
would have only 24 contestants at the most. As of Wednesday, August 22, we how
have over four dozen people ready to bring on their recipes. It’s amazing for us
to see everyone’s different variations of Dynamite who are up to the challenge,”
said BVTC President Dr. Robert D. Billington, organizer of the cook-off.
BVTC still
welcomes anyone who has their own dynamite recipe to be part of the event to
showcase their own Dynamite and become crowned the King or Queen of the Dynamite
Sandwich.
However, BVTC says
that to make the event enjoyable for the public and the judges, it must limit
cook-off contestants to not more than 60 participants, and has set the deadline
of Monday, August 27, 2007 at 5 pm for those wishing to compete.
People interested
in participating in the September 15, 2007 Dynamite Cook Off must sign up NOW by
visiting the website
www.tourblackstone.com for complete
details or calling the BVTC at 401-724-2200.
The Dynamite Cook
Off “detonates” at 12 noon, Saturday, September 15. Dynamites will be available
at the French Farmers Market.
Cook Off events
are co-sponsored by BVTC, the Northern Rhode Island Council on the Arts,
Jen's Dish talk show on radio station WNRI, Narragansett Beer, RI State
Council on the Arts, Calise Bakery, Li’l General Stores, The Woonsocket Call and
the City of Woonsocket.
For those unfamiliar with
Dynamites, they are a sandwich made with a blend of
fried hamburger, green peppers and onions in a spicy tomato mixture, all served
up on a “dynamite roll”- never a bun, and found exclusively in Woonsocket.
Several Woonsocket
restaurants serve Dynamites daily. The establishments include:
Barbara’s
Place, 77 North Main Street, telephone 401-762-4730
Main Street
Café, 85 Main Street, telephone 401-762-4394
Heritage Coffee
Shoppe, 66 Main Street, telephone 401-765-7639
Paul’s Family
Restaurant, 867 Social Street, 401-762-9608
Castle
Luncheonette, 42 Social Street, 401-762-5424
Uncle Ronnie’s,
Victory Highway, Nasonville, 401-765-3300
Also, the BVTC is
on the prowl to find out the history of Dynamites and how they became a popular
food staple in the Blackstone River Valley.
“We hope to
uncover the origins of the Dynamite sandwich. Locals in Blackstone River Valley
think Dynamites emerged during the Great Depression of the 1930’s, at the
now-defunct Sons of Italy Club in the Social Flatlands neighborhood of
Woonsocket some 70 years ago. But nobody really knows for sure,” said Dr.
Billington.
With that in mind,
the BVTC has hired former Woonsocket Call journalist Denise Perreault as
the “investigative reporter” to uncover the history of the sandwich.
“So, if you think you know where
the Dynamite comes from -- even if you have just an inkling -- give Ms.
Perreault a call. “I’m open to all theories,” she said, “and, like Sherlock
Holmes, I will endeavor to track down the truth or falsity of each report until
we can come up with a definitive answer to this intriguing Blackstone Valley
mystery.” Denise will report the results of her investigation in an upcoming
news release.
You can contact Ms. Perreault at
401-333-4808, or via e-mail, to
deniseandjim@cox.net.
More information
on the September 15 Dynamite Cookoff, the BVTC and the Blackstone River Valley
is available by calling 401-724-2200 or on the web at
www.tourblackstone.com
Date:
Saturday, September 15
Time:
10 am-8:30 pm
Festival
French Farmers Market & Woonsocket Arts Festival
Location
River Island Park, Market Square, Woonsocket, RI
Contacts:
For French Farmers Market: Northern RI Council on the Arts
401-769-9846
Website:
www.nrica.org
For Dynamite Cook
Off: Blackstone Valley Tourism Council
401-724-2200
Website:
http://www.tourblackstone.com/dynamite.htm
Enjoy ethnic culture
and arts with live entertainment, food, French Canadian dance,
historical tours, riverboat tours, children's events and more! Reception
5:30-8:30 pm at Museum of Work & Culture (Reception Tickets: $12) Call
for details.
Highlighting this
year’s festival is the Dynamite Cook Off starting at 12
noon. Over four dozen people will be in friendly competition to
determine who makes the best Dynamites and become crowned Dynamite King
or Queen.
Dynamites are a
sandwich made with a blend of fried
hamburger, green peppers and onions in a spicy tomato mixture, all
served up on a “Dynamite Roll”- never a bun, and found exclusively in
Woonsocket.
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